Hermione Estranged - Tingles
by lunar012018
Summary: Strange thoughts have crowded into Hermione's mind. She looks for help from the strangest person she knows. *** Chapter 4 of 6 complete. ***
1. Chapter 1

Hermione held her breath and looked around the room. She felt like an intruder. Although she had been there once before, Luna was not at home. So being there felt like an intrusion. But the crushed candles in the entrance hall had lit themselves to greet her, and that did not happen for everyone.

She loosened her jacket. Her choice of triple denim - beret, jacket and pants in navy blue - had been striking, but not warming. Thankfully she had chosen a heavier red sweater to keep out the chill of the evening.

The main room was domed like an igloo. It looked more like a tent when she considered the springy beams reaching up from the ground to meet several feet up. Was she underground? That could be natural light flickering around the apex. And the strips of wood lining out the walls could be leathery fabric. Or something else. But nothing terrifying.

There was a faint jingling noise around the apex of the roof. She had not noticed it before. Like a dream catcher or wind chimes. But inside, inbetween the pointed beams of the ceiling rose. It made her neck tingle. But it was relaxing and reassuring. This was what she needed; somewhere to relax, and someone to chill with.

Slightly further down the walls, animated rugs hung lazily from four of the twelve angles. Each depicted a season, childishly drawn, but fresh and alive. Hermione stared at the widening mouth of an Asian lion as it commanded a barren hilltop, the summer Sun flaring and waning behind it. She had seen it in many old fashioned homes. It was a cheap memento bought cheaply on a budget vacation. Then, as always with these things, the scene repeated with equal vigor. Hermione had no time for mass producer merchandise. But she knew Luna was less discerning. Or maybe just discerning in a different way.

Further down, at floor level, a weird collection of dressers and short cabinets crowded around the outside wall. They were stuffed randomly with clean clothes, rags, books, scrolls, bits of magical equipment, vanity mirrors, and more bits of bric-a-brac.

An incredibly thin writing bureau was wedged between two unfeasibly tall wardrobes. Sheets of paper and sparking notebooks were piled up in a wobbling, vaguely held still by a hand high paperweight. A little bronze statuette of a stag stood atop the heap magically rearing up on its back legs, the front hooves scratching at the air. She picked it up and looked closer. As soon as her hand touched the metal, the figure stopped moving and became little more than an ornament. She noticed too that there were no antlers, just a single horn jutting stiffly from the horselike head. "Oh. A unicorn," she whispered.

The notes started to slip and slide sideways. She slapped her free hand on the pile. "Petrificus!" she joked. "Stay still." The papers behaved almost predictably in a muggle kind of way. "And what have we here?" She thought aloud. "A journal? Love letters? You're so mysterious, Luna." With one hand holding the weight, and one holding the papers, Hermione felt trapped. But there was also an opportunity. Maybe a quick read of the notebooks wouldn't be so wrong?

"Who's there?" A faint, lilting voice called thru. The candle crumbs sparked into sharper lines of light.

Hermione put down the bronze figure. It started to rear again on its hind legs, proud and wild. She made to call out, but her mouth was dry. She cleared her throat. "Me," she said firmly.


	2. Chapter 2

"Oh. Hermione?" Luna was muted, but not shocked. "Harry's friend," she added.

She was dressed lightly. A wide silken hood flapped lightly on her head hiding her face partly now and again. Her feet were bare as usual, and covered in mud and grass seed. Instead of her usual skirt she was wearing a pair of oddly ordinary black shorts, long to the knee and tight around the rear.

Hermione knew Luna could be a little weird, maybe a bit shy, often focussed on other things. Luna's hair was roughly plaited into two bunches and she was chewing the ends of one plait like a nervous girl.

"Did I surprise you?" said Hermione. "I'm sorry, Luna. First, I thought it'd be alright. But then I got a bit worried." She knew she was rambling.

"You're always welcome, Hermione," said Luna. Hermione was surprised, but relieved.

"Were you out?" Hermione asked. She felt stupid straight away. Obviously, Luna had just got back.

"Hmm?" Luna mumbled. "Just a little run. Yes." She rummaged in a basket on one of the shelves. It contained small, shiny fruit like apples.

"I like your jacket," said Luna. "You can take it off if you're staying. I'll light the fire."

"I'm a bit chilly inside," said Hermione. She remembered again why she had run from Hogwarts. "I'll keep it on for now. Thanks. I'll stay for a bit."

"Cold? Would you like a tea?" Luna smiled sadly, but in an encouraging way.

Hermione decided she had to say something. "I think he put something in my head." That was not quite what she wanted to say, but that was all that came out. She felt some embarrassment, like heat building across her cheeks.

"Who?" said Luna. She did not turn, but bit into one of the tiny apples. Juice dripped a little from her lower lip and sparkled. She looked at the static books on a higher shelf, probably already thinking about something else.

Hermione paused. "Snape," she hissed.

Luna wiped her lips with her fingers, then rubbed the fingers on the waist of her shorts. "You still do Dark Arts? I thought Snape had taken a break from that. He made you stop too."

Hermione felt a slight heat burning her cheeks. It had all been so embarrassing. "No. I moved to private reading. But he found out. And he wasn't happy. Kept frowning at me in the corridors. Doing his muttering thing."

"Is it a spell? I'm not sure what I can do about spells."

"Worse," said Hermione. She sat down onto a cushion-topped stool. "Just words. Just frowns. My parents never approved. That was their way. Disappointment." She leaned forward and cupped her hands over her face. There were no tears, but she did not want Luna to see her face.

Luna nodded and looked around the desk with the papers. The little figure of the paperweight was carelessly pawing the ground. "Fears," she said quietly. Then to herself, "I have so many myself."


	3. Chapter 3

"Take a seat," said Luna. "There's not a lot of room. But I don't mind a squeeze if you don't."

"Yes," said Hermione. Her voice was weak and indecisive. Where were the seats? She scratched at the neck of her sweater and turned half a circle where she stood. "Umm."

Luna giggled, genuinely smiling. "Sorry." She snapped her fingers sharply. Almost instantly, a small drawer on the bureau jerked open.

"Huh?" said Hermione aloud. "What's in there?"

Luna laughed then turned back to the door. "Make yourself comfy, Harry's friend."

A rustling, groaning noise emerged from the drawer, followed closely by a bulge of velvet fabric. The velvet shape swelled and wriggled, climbing from the drawer as if too big. Hermione stepped back. She'd seen magic furniture before, but this seemed a little aggressive. With another groan the velvet cushion burst from the drawer and slumped down onto the floor.

"Is it getting bigger?" Hermione was horrified and intrigued at the same time. She stepped to the door to speak to Luna. But the tiny hall must also have been her changing space. Luna was slipping the short running pants down to her ankles.

"It depends on how big you want it." Luna leaned against the wall and kicked the pants to one side.

Hermione gasped and looked back to the cushion. It was now the size of a small bean bag. Barely room to squat on. "Just a bit more," she remarked.

The cushion made more robust squawks and the velvet rippled and stretched itself into a more substantial, inviting seat. The beans inside swelled and popped audibly, tiny clouds of starch puffing out then clearing.

"Uh. I'll sit now," she said, approaching the bean bag. She slipped off her jacket and beret, clapping them across her front as she lowered herself. The fabric was soft and yielding, the filling firm and comfy.

"Well," she remarked. "That's warm!" She had expected the bean bag to be cool and uncomfortable.

Luna stepped back into the room, more relaxed in a silken skirt made of shiny fabric strips that rippled on their own. "As hot as you want it," she giggled.

Hermione giggled nervously. Luna seemed more friendly towards her now, more relaxed.

"You have a funny house," she said.

Luna rocked her head positively. "It used to be a caravan. Then I made it a marquee." She looked up at the focal point of the ceiling. "But it's been here long enough. Bits added here and there. It all sort of looks after me."

Hermione paused. What should she say next? She just wanted to sit and hold her jacket and listen to the jingling and rustling of the little home.

Luna wrinkled out a thin smile. "I'll make a tea." She stepped lightly over to one of the upper drawers and stretched up. "I have some Japanese leaf up here."

Hermione clutched her jacket closer to her chest, surprised at the grace of Luna as she almost danced up to the tiny drawer. "Yes, please," she whispered.


	4. Chapter 4

The big saggy kettle sang stupidly as the water boiled within it. "My coffee pot just fills itself," Hermione joked. "It keeps me awake all night. Which is great for studying." Without thinking she rubbed the soft wrinkles under her eyelids.

Luna poured two drinks, the steam spiralling idly up to the pinnacle of the ceiling. "I'm lucky. I found a kettle that likes to make tea. No spells required." She turned with the two cups. "Budge up."

Hermione looked to her left and her right. There was no room on the bulging seat. For a second, she thought Luna might sit on her lap. "Uh. It's going to be a squeeze," she giggled nervously.

Luna passed her one of the drinks. Hermione gripped the handle with one hand and the base of the cup with the other. Both the cup and the handle were quite cool. Luna swung her own drink out to her side, braced herself on a side table and let herself bump gracefully down onto the edge of the bean bag.

Hermione tried to steady herself, both hands full, but desperate not to collide with her host. "I'm sorry," she began in anticipation. It was impossible for her to stand.

Then she felt a heat below her thighs. "What?" she thought. The seat was swelling again, this time sideways. The smooth fabric creaked and trembled as it bubbles up to twice its size. "Oh," she said aloud. "It knows what you want." She laughed nervously.

Luna smiled tightly. "Sometimes," she mused. "But it doesn't always get it right." Her skirt rustled as she wriggled onto the bean bag. Its shape began to solidify.

Hermione noticed the smell of the leaves. It reminded her of blossom in Spring and began to relax her. So, not everything needed magic.

She noticed a slightly different aroma from Luna's cup. Luna noticed her interest. "Sugar and salts. For after the run. Best after exercise. Sniff?" She offered the cup under Hermione's nose. The vapors were stingy. Then Hermione noticed a further smell. She leaned slightly over to Luna without thinking. Her nostrils must have flared slightly. "Just sweat," giggled Luna. "You know?" She pulled at the neck of her blouse and shook it to let some air in.

Hermione tried not to gasp in embarrassment. "Of course," she whispered. "Sorry," she added avoiding Luna's gaze. She sipped her drink and thought about leaving.

"You want to stay for supper?" Luna mused. "Wild mushrooms and fruit bread. It's all I could find today."

"Um." Hermione was enjoying her drink and the warmth of the tent. But she felt awkward being so close to Luna already. "Maybe," she ventured.

"Good," said Luna bumping her cup into Hermione's as if sealing a deal. "Then you can tell me all about your problem."


End file.
